Mushroom Management
Pseudo Analysis · Blind Development
A management concept where workers are not given insight to the processes, priorities, or even the purpose of the company, and are simply given tasks to accomplish without context. The term itself alludes to mushroom cultivation of "being kept in the dark and fed bullshit."
Origin
The phrase "kept in the dark and fed bullshit"—alluding to mushroom cultivation—entered business vocabulary in the 1960s, with the earliest documented use appearing in a 1968 edition of the Harrow Observer. One worker described the company's treatment in 1969: "First they cultivated us; then they kept us in the dark; then they fed us a lot of crap; and then they canned us." The terms "mushroom theory of employee relations" and "mushroom management" appeared in print by 1970 and 1971 respectively, cementing the metaphor in management literature.
Everyday Use
The phrase used in this way dates to the mid-1960s, from a variety of various sources.